Innehållsförteckning för July/August 2024 från Bake from Scratch

What made you decide to bake your way through The Bundt Collection? Kim Gasset-Schiller: I love to bake, but I tend to make the same recipes over and over, staying in my comfort zone. In October 2020, I began participating in the Monday night Baking School classes taught by Brian Hart Hoffman. November 2 of that year was the Bake a Bundt Cake class; it was this lesson that got me to thinking about baking my way through Brian’s cookbook, The Bundt Collection, which I had purchased just the month before the class. Committing to baking all the recipes in The Bundt Collection would force me out of my comfort zone and open my baking world to new ingredients, techniques, and challenges. Since it was late in the year and…

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of late summer, when the trees are lush and the sun warmed air drapes over you like a blanket. You come back from the garden with a tattered sun hat resting on your head and a basket hanging from the crook of your arm, filled with the day’s freshest picks: bright red tomatoes, large zucchinis, the last of the season’s blueberries, and on top of it all, bunches of freshly picked herbs–handfuls of mint to muddle into a glass of ice-cold sweet tea, basil leaves to layer into tomato sandwiches, and sprigs full of thyme to stir into cake batters and bread doughs. There are so many different varieties of herbs to choose from, so how do you know which to use? Basil has…

RASPBERRY NEAPOLITAN COOKIES Makes about 14 cookies Picture this: chocolate, raspberry, and vanilla cookie dough baked together to form a buttery, soft, and chewy cookie! You’ve got the richness of chocolate, the zing of raspberries, and the smoothness of vanilla. When they mingle together, it forms a beautiful dance of sweetness and tartness. Trust me—once you take a bite, you’ll be hooked. 1 ounce (30 grams) freeze-dried raspberries2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt¾ cup (170 grams) salted butter, room temperature1 cup (200 grams) granulated ​sugar1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature1 large egg yolk (19 grams), room temperature1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract1 tablespoon (5 grams) Dutch process ​cocoa powder 1. Add freeze-dried raspberries to a food processor, and pulse…

Perfecting Your Piecrust The key to flakiness in the All-Butter Piecrust is minimal mixing once the butter has been cut in to keep tiny, whole pieces of butter that are evenly dispersed throughout the dough. As the butter in the dough melts in the oven, it gives off water, which turns to steam. The super-heated steam puffs up and separates the layers of dough. Cold ingredients and limited handling create the best crust, so it’s important to be methodical when getting your dough ready to bake. Using a food processor to make piecrust is the most efficient method. It’s faster than making it by hand, and it keeps your ingredients colder, which results in a flakier crust. Once mixed, the dough will look crumbly, but it should be moist and…

Savoring the Sweet Summer Summer for me is about moving slower and cherishing the long days that bring late-night sunsets and a humid breeze that calms my soul. It makes me think about peaches, too, my official taste and scent of summer. And not just any peaches—Alabama peaches from Chilton County, a true taste of my home state, and something my mom and I both shared a love for. Last summer, on a drive from south Alabama to Birmingham, my husband, Stephen, and I made a stop at the famous Durbin Farms, in the heart of peach-growing paradise, for peach ice cream and a basket of the region’s bounty. My days after were filled with devouring peaches while standing over the kitchen sink with juices dripping off my chin, using…

Although these terms are oftenused interchangeably, there is a distinct difference between them. As the word indicates, parbaking a piecrust means to bake it partially. Parbaking is standard practice for many pies with juicy or liquid fillings such as fresh fruit, pumpkin, and quiche. Blind baking takes parbaking a step further, fully baking the empty piecrust until it’s golden brown and set throughout. Blind-baked crusts are used with no-bake fillings like a cooked custard or pudding. Why would you want to parbake or blind-bake your piecrust? Doing sogives the piecrust a head start on baking so it stays crisp and firm rather thansoft and soggy, and it prevents your filling from overbaking. Here’s how to do it. Line your piecrust with a piece of parchment paper large enough so that…

While most of the city is still fast asleep, Last Call Baking Co., a lively bakery that opened in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, in 2022, just blocks away from Bake from Scratch headquarters, is slowly waking up for the day. Chanah (pronounced “honna”) Willis, the 27-year-old owner, leads a crew of passionate and energetic bakers. Together, they turn out delightful, unpredictable, and consistently delicious pastries. Each artfully captures the maker’s identity. They’re delicious proof that baking can reach incredible creative heights and deep spiritual feelings when translated through flaky, layered pastries. To ensure locals have their fill of pastries, the staff at Last Call works in the middle of the night, prepping and baking trays of hand-glazed cinnamon rolls, coffee scrolls, morning buns, and the holy trinity of croissants—butter, almond, and…

Semifreddo, which translates to “half cold” or “half frozen,” is an elegant dessert that differs from ice cream in that it has a semifrozen texture, as its name implies. Our recipe achieves its ethereal texture by delicately folding a frothy egg mixture into a billowing bowl of whipped cream and stashing it away in the freezer until it’s time to serve. The result is a light and luxurious mousse-like consistency, perfect for enjoying on a hot summer day. Once made, it can be frozen for several weeks if tightly wrapped, making it an ideal make-ahead dessert for dinner parties or a spontaneous midafternoon indulgence. VANILLA SEMIFREDDO Makes 12 to 16 servings The beauty of this dessert lay in its versatility. The classic creamy vanilla base can be enhanced by drizzling…

At the opening of her third cookbook, I’ll Bring Dessert, Benjamina Ebuehi says, “Dessert is the best part of the meal. It lets you linger that little bit longer. It’s the joy of bringing a dish to the table and watching everyone’s eyes light up.” Flipping through the cookbook, I can almost hear the deep, uninhibited conversations flow in the background—the pure anticipation and excitement in the air as a dish of warm apple crumble floats onto the center of the table, spoons gliding across plates, ensuring no bite is left behind. Comfort and coziness course through these pages, casting a warm, honeyed glow on classic dishes elevated with wondrous flavor combinations, like saffron-and-pear galettes, apricot-and-chamomile tarts, and sage-and-white chocolate madeleines. Each recipe captures Benjamina’s joy, thoughtfulness, and courage to…

To understand the history of the delicious honey cookie known as melomakarona, we must go back to ancient Greece. The pantheon of Greek gods is expansive, with a god or goddess devoted to entire realms, such as Hades ruling over the underworld and Poseidon over the sea, or ruling over smaller domains like Hypnos, the god of sleep. The story of melomakarona starts with Makaria, the goddess of blessed death. Her name doesn’t appear very often in Greek mythology, though at times, she is also described as the goddess of the Elysian Fields, the area of the afterlife where the souls of heroes and the virtuous go to rest. The belief in Makaria promised peace and serenity after death. During ancient Greek funerals, after the burial, there was a tradition…

ALMOND FRANGIPANE COOKIES Makes about 18 large cookies We make no secret of our love of frangipane, a creamy spread of ground almonds, butter, and eggs that can be baked into cakes, pies, and practically anything else you can think of. Frangipane is one of the most common and popular fillings for croissants, so we took inspiration from that epic combo to create this cookie with the same flavors but in a fraction of the time and a lot less effort. A sprinkle of sliced almonds on top provides just enough crunchy contrast to the soft and chewy cookie base. 2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour1 cup (96 grams) blanched almond flour¾ teaspoon (3.75 grams) baking powder½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking soda1¼ cups (275 grams)…

WINDOWPANE TEST Kneading dough to develop the gluten structure is an essential part of the majority of yeasted dough recipes. But how do you know when you’ve kneaded enough? Enter the windowpane test: Pinch or cut—but don’t tear, because this damages the gluten strands—a small, walnut-size piece of dough. Then gently and slowly pull and rotate the dough out from its center. If the dough is properly kneaded, you will be able to stretch it—without tearing—until it’s thin and translucent. If it tears or breaks during the stretch, give your dough another minute of work and then test again. If the dough is too hard to stretch, it’s been overmixed. FINGER DENT TEST After your dough has rested the amount of time according to your recipe, lightly flour your fingertip…

These beloved chocolate cookies have been in Bake from Scratch reader Lynn Weisz’s family for three generations and counting. While no one knows where the name of these cookies came from, they have inspired the start of a beloved tradition. Lynn’s great-aunt Liz Murray was the source of these Go-to-School Cookies. Lynn tells us that Liz had a go-to cookbook in the margins of which she scribbled her favorite family recipes, including these cookies. Aunt Liz had a degree in home economics and workedas the head dietician of a hospital for35 years. She was a strong woman for her family, taking over raising six kids, one of whom was Lynn’s father, after her sister’s passing. Liz would bake these cookies for her nieces and nephews every year at the start…

POWERED BY Red Star® Yeast HARISSA AND BRIE FOCACCIA Makes 1 (13x9-inch) loaf The soft and chewy interior makes this loaf perfect for an afternoon snack or even as a sandwich bread. Drizzled with hot honey, this cheesy focaccia is bursting with rich, spicy flavor in every bite. 1¾ cups (420 grams) water, room temperature (70°F/21°C to 75°F/24°C)6 tablespoons (84 grams) extra-virgin olive oil, divided4¼ cups (540 grams) bread flour3½ teaspoons (10.5 grams) kosher salt1 (0.25-ounce) package (7 grams) instant yeast*½ cup (120 grams) harissa paste½ cup (80 grams) ¼-inch-sliced onion4 ounces (113 grams) Brie cheese, cut into small wedgesFlaked sea salt, for sprinkling¼ cup (85 grams) honey1 teaspoon (5 grams) apple cider vinegar¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper 1. In a large bowl, combine 1¾ cups (420 grams) room temperature…

PESTO-SWIRLED BABKA Makes 1 (8½x4½-inch) loaf Our savory spin on the traditionally sweet twisted bread is fluffy, buttery, cheesy, and packed with bold herb flavor. Serve leftover pesto as a dip for your babka, or spread it on sliced bread to jazz up your sandwiches. 2½ cups (313 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar1½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) instant yeast1¾ teaspoons (5.25 grams) kosher salt, divided¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter¼ cup (60 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water, divided¼ cup (60 grams) whole milk2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature and divided½ cup (113 grams) cream cheese, softened½ cup (113 grams) crescenza cheese*1 large egg yolk (19 grams)Evergreen Basil Pesto (recipe follows)1 tablespoon (14 grams) olive oil…

BLACKBERRY-ALMOND SNACK CAKE Makes 1 (9-inch) cake Topped with almonds for a delicate crunch, this cake is ideal for an afternoon snack. Low-protein cake flour creates a soft, fluffy crumb structure, but by adding in a bit of all-purpose flour, it results in an ideal texture of tender yet sturdy cake. ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened1¾ cups (350 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar, divided3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract¼ teaspoon (1 gram) almond extract2 cups (250 grams) cake flour*½ cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking soda½ cup (120 grams) whole milk, room temperature½ cup (120 grams) sour cream, room temperature12 ounces (340 grams) fresh blackberries¼ cup (28…

YELLOW LAYER CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING Makes 1 (8-inch) cake Our yellow cake is rich, buttery, and moist thanks to the use of butter and oil, and tender and light due to cake flour. It’s sturdy enough to layer confidently but maintains its fluffy, airy crumb. The only thing that makes this cake better is a generous layer of indulgently decadent chocolate buttercream frosting. As the frosting stands, it forms a lightly flaky, crispy crust that reveals a creamy, fudgy mouthful underneath, an ideal combination of textures. 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened¼ cup (56 grams) neutral oil2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature6 large egg yolks (112 grams)1 tablespoon (13 grams) vanilla extract3 cups (375 grams) cake flour2½ teaspoons (12.5 grams) baking powder1½…

STRAWBERRY-PECAN MINI SEMIFREDDOS Makes 6 servings 1¼ cups (57 grams) mini salted pretzels½ cup (57 grams) pecan halves*3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, meltedVanilla Semifreddo (recipe on page 45)1 cup (320 grams) strawberry spread*, divided 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 2. Line 6 (1-cup) copper molds or 8-ounce ramekins with 2 (8- to 10-inch-long) 1-inch-wide strips of foilto make an “X,” letting excess extend over sides of molds (A). Line bottom of each mold with parchment paper (B). 3. In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse pretzels and pecans until finely chopped and well combined. In a medium bowl, stir together pretzel mixture, sugar, and melted butter until well combined and mixture holds together when lightly pressed. Divide mixture among prepared molds…